Iowa Day Care Worker, 20, Charged With Murder After Newborn Found Dead in Trash Bag, Police Say
PERRY, Iowa — A 20-year-old day care worker has been charged with first-degree murder after authorities say a newborn was found dead inside a trash bag at the Perry child care facility where she worked.
Stephanie Ubaldo was arrested Thursday, Sept. 17, and was being held at the Dallas County Jail, the Perry Police Department said in a news release.
The case began around 5 p.m. local time on Tuesday, Sept. 15, when Dallas County Emergency Medical Services were called to Acorns & Oaks Child Care for a woman experiencing vaginal bleeding, police said. The woman was taken to a nearby hospital.
At about 6:22 p.m., officers learned that a premature infant might be inside a trash container at the day care. About 10 minutes later, police said, they found the deceased infant in a trash bag.
Court records cited by The Perry News described the child as a fully developed baby girl with the umbilical cord. The infant had evidence of head injuries, the outlet reported.
According to a criminal complaint reported by KETV, Ubaldo told investigators she gave birth in the facility's bathroom. She allegedly said bleeding from the birth prevented her from returning to work, despite her claimed intention to do so.
Investigators also allege Ubaldo intentionally caused injuries to the baby's face in an effort to stop the baby from crying, according to the complaint.
Police stressed that the infant was not under the care of Acorns & Oaks Child Care and was not a client of the facility.
The allegations have drawn renewed attention to Iowa's Safe Haven law, which police highlighted in their statement. Under the law, parents or authorized individuals can safely surrender an infant up to 90 days old at designated locations without fear of prosecution for abandonment, authorities said.
Those locations include hospitals, health care facilities, fire stations staffed by 24-hour paid or volunteer firefighters, adoption service providers and newborn safety devices such as Safe Haven Baby Boxes, according to the Perry Police Department.
The case also raises questions about the pressures that can lead to infant abandonment and the options available to parents in crisis, though authorities have not said whether Ubaldo sought any of those options.
Police asked anyone with information relevant to the investigation to contact the department.
PEOPLE reached out to the Perry Police Department and Acorns & Oaks Child Care for comment.
If you suspect child abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child or 1-800-422-4453, or go to www.childhelp.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.
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